1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an improved cleaner for hard surface cleaning applications, including kitchens, bathrooms, tubs and tiles, amongst others, and more particularly to a hard surface cleaning composition for such personal contact areas, having improved cleaning and descaling properties.
2. Background of the Technology
Hard surface cleaning compositions have been known and used in a variety of applications, including bathrooms, kitchens and other areas, particularly for toilets, showers, bathtubs, sinks, tiles, countertops, walls, floors and the like. Often times, hard surfaces accumulate both soap scum stains, which are typically residues of various types of soaps used in a household, as well as hard water stains, which are typically the result of the deposition of calcium, lime or various salts on hard surfaces over the course of time and use of various household surfaces.
Cleaning solutions for these household surfaces have been formulated to address both the removal of soap scum stains, as well as the descaling of hard water stains. In particular, many of these cleaning solutions have employed a combination of components, in a number of instances including strong inorganic acids, organic acids or a combination of both, a surfactant or wetting agent, a solvent and a diluent to address one or both of these types of stains and/or build-ups. The acid component is typically selected to address descaling of hard water stains, while the surfactant component is typically a detergent selected to attack soap scum. Further, other additives have also been used in combination with cleaning formulations to either enhance performance or make a particular formulation more desirable from a visual or odor perspective, such as pH adjusters, stabilizing agents, colorants and fragrances, amongst others.
It has also become important for cleaning solutions to be formulated in such a way as to have less impact on the environment (to be “green”). One way in which this is encouraged is through a program of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, known as the Design for the Environment Program (“DfE”). DfE certifies “green” cleaning products through the Safer Product Labeling Program. One aspect for obtaining certification is to have a cleaning solution which is less acidic, specifically, to have a pH greater than 2, for household cleaning products. Furthermore, the standards adopted by governmental agencies, or sought by consumers, have been evolving. In the future, governmental standards may require, and/or consumers may demand, even stricter standards regarding the environmental compatibility of effective hard surface cleaning solutions. While it is unknown exactly how or when changes to these standards will occur, it is believed that any such change would adhere to stricter environmental standards, requiring ever “greener” cleaning products. One such change could be the pH level of the cleaning solution, requiring the pH level to be substantially higher than the current minimum requirement of 2.0.
Accordingly, It is desirable to provide a cleaning solution which minimizes and/or eliminates the more corrosive inorganic acids, as well as the more corrosive organic acids, and instead uses less corrosive, but equally effective organic acids to achieve the desired cleaning results.
It is yet further desirable to find a cleaning solution with a specific combination of organic acids, surfactants and solvents which act in a synergistic manner to improve cleaning performance on hard surfaces.
It is also desirable to provide a cleaning solution which is more environmentally compatible, such as by having a higher pH than in existing cleaning solutions configured for comparable uses.
It is further desirable to provide a cleaning solution which uses quantitatively less of the active ingredients, as compared to known cleaning solutions, but having comparable performance, so as to be more economically desirable.